Hatch frame



Nov. 23, 1937.

L. C. V VILKOFF HATCH FRAME 2 SheetsShee t 1 Filed Feb. '7, 1956 Nov.23, 1937. L. c. WILKOFF 2,100,129

HATCH FRAME Filed Feb. 7, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 23, 1937PATENT OFFICE HATCH FRAME Louis (J. Wilkofi', Youngstown, Ohio.assignor. by mesne assignments, to P. H. Murphy Company,

a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 1, 1m, Sel'lll No.82,856 Y 2 Claims.

The present invention relates'to hatch frames,

for example, the frame surrounding'the hatchopening of a refrigeratorcar, and aims generally to improve and simplify the construction of suchfra ines as well as the construction of. the car roo In the constructionof refrigerator cars, there usually is provided atone or both ends ofthe car ice compartments for containing and storing the ice. The ice isintroduced into the compartment through a hatch opening inthe roof,which opening is adapted to be sealed by a hatch plug. Modernrefrigerator cars are equipped with metal roof sheets and the hatchframes are usually bolted or riveted to the roof sheet. In both casesthe roof is subject to leakage around the bolts or rivets, thusshortening the life of the car roof structure.

Furthermore the hatch frame must preferably be made of metal ofsuiiicient thickness and rigidity, as, for example, from to inch steelplates, to adequately withstand the shock and wear on the wood framingof the car roof, when.

' large cakes of ice are dumped through the hatch opening. The innerwall of the hatch frame must be relatively smooth, and preferably is ofone-piece construction so as to smoothly and acbe secured in place andsealed to the roof sheets.

curately fit the sealing hatch plug.

According to my invention I provide improved constructions of hatchframes and car roofs em-.

bodying hatch frames presenting'a. strong, stiff and rigid frame,preferably having a smooth onepiece well, and which may be securelyattached and sealed to the roof sheets without requiring bolts, rivetsor other types of fastenings, perforating the roof sheets. According tocertain embodiments of the invention, the hatch frame may after the roofsheets have been applied to the car roof.

These and other important aims and objects of the invention will beapparent fromthe following description, when considered with theaccompanying drawings illustrating certain preferred embodiments of theinvention.-

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a portibn of a car Fig. 4 is a sectionalview similar to Fig. 1, illustrating another embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental view illustrating a further modification;

around the hatch openings and the space between the ceiling and roofsheathing is usually filled with suitable insulating material.

According to the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, Iprovide a hatch frame including a well ll, combing l8 and deck flangeIQ, of heavy metal, preferably wrought iron plate, from M; to 54 inchwide in thickness, which frame is preferably made as by pressing from asingle piece metal, to provide smooth, continuous, downwardly convergingside and end walls, 20 and 2| respectively. By pressing the well I! andat least a portion of the combing ill from a single piece of metal,smooth side walls and uniform fillets are presented that will accuratelyreceive and flt'the hatch plug shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The batch frame thusconstructed may be secured in position in the car,in a number of different ways according to the invention.

In the forms of invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5, the frame issecurely held in place by applying a downward clamping pressure to theframe at some point or points spaced from and preferably located belowthe roof sheet. According to these forms. of invention, a suitablewater- 'proof' joint is provided between the deck flange IQ of the frameand the metal roof sheet II, which may comprise a strip or bitumencoated fabric 22 such as canvas, and a layer of suitable plastic deckcement 23.

According to the form of invention shown in Fig. 1, a downwardly andoutwardly flaring skirt 2! may be attached to the lower edge of thewell,

as by welding along the edge as indicated at 24*, the lower edge of theskirt having an outwardly extending horizontal flange 25 adapted tounderlie the ceiling l2. Suitable clamping means, as for example,wedge-shaped pieces 26, or clamping screws 21 (Fig. 3a), may be drivenbetween the ceiling l2 and flange to hold the hatch frame securely inplace with the deck flange l9 pressed tightly against the roof sheet ll.

Alternately, the skirt 24 may be omitted, and frames may be held inplace by means of a plurality of bolts 28 passing through the frameworkl3 and connected to the hatch frame I! as by means of a support, such asan angle bar 29 (see Fig. 4) or the heads of the bolts may be flattenedas at 30, and welded directly to the frame I as illustrated in Fig. 5.

In the embodiments of the invention thus described, it will be apparentthat the hatch frame may be secured in position after the roof sheet I Ihas been applied to the car, which is adistinct advantage and economyover the prior practice of riveting the frame to the roof sheet on theground and then putting the roof sheet and unfilled, will provide a deadair insulating space.

The construction has many advantages in the economy of constructing therefrigerator car.

In Figs. 6', '7, and 8 of the drawings I have illustrated other forms ofconnections between the hatch frame and roofsheet, which may be usedeither with or without the clamping means of Figs. 1, 4, and 5 asdesired.

19 illustrated in Fig. 1, but may terminate in a downwardly sloping sideor rim 3|. The roof sheet is preferably formed with an opening andsurrounding upwardly sloping walls 32 adapted to fit and underlie thedownwardly sloping rim 3|, and the two may be connected togetheradvantageously by welding as for example, a seam weld 33. Such aconstruction is rivetless and watertight and when the frame is made ofsufficiently heavy material, it may be satisfactorily used in manyinstallations without other clamping means. I

Alternately, the roof sheet walls 3'4! (Fig. 8) may overlie the rim 3|of the hatch frame combing and/or the deck flange and may be securelyconnected together as by means of a seam weld 33 along the upper edge ofthe walls. 32.

Although the avoidance of rivets between the roof sheet and hatch frameare desirable, the invention is not of such restricted scope and thisform of connection may be adopted without departing from the spirit ofthe invention. When riveted connections are used, however, I prefer torivet the upwardly inclined sloping walls 32 I of the roof sheet II tothe inclined rim of the hatch frame combing, in the manner illustratedin Fig. '7. This avoids the use of vertical rivets and provides asufficiently tight seal between the upper edge of the walls 32 and thehatch frame as to avoid openings in which cin'ders may collect, whichwhen wet, have a. rapidly corrosive effect upon the metal of the frameor roof sheet.

Advantages of the invention reside in the simplicity of construction ofthe hatch frame as well as of the car roof structure surrounding thehatch frame, aswell as the improved watertight connection between thehatch frame and the metal roof sheet of the car.

shock and wear as in the case of many prior installations and need notbe made to accurately accommodate the hatch plug.

The elimination of all-vertical rivets or bolt connections between thehatch frame and car roof sheet also improves the watertightness of theroof as a whole, which is highly desirable in prolonging the life of thecar roof structure.

Obviously, my invention is not to be restricted to the details describedor as shown in the accompanying drawings which are intended as 11-lustrative only.

I claim:

1. In combination with a refrigerator car and the like having a roof andceiling spaced therefrom, an opening in said roof and ceiling, and arelatively heavy, rigid hatch frame positioned in said opening andincluding a one piece metal well having downwardly sloping side and endwalls positioned within said roof and ceiling openings,

By reason of the con-- struction, the car roof frame is not subjected toand spaced from the walls thereof, and means for connecting the hatchframe to the roof at points spaced from the roof to provide a watertightimperforate joint therebetween.

2. In combination with a refrigerator car and the like having a roof andceiling spaced therefrom, an opening in said roof and ceiling, and arelatively heavy, rigid hatch frame positioned in said opening andincluding a one piece metal well having downwardly sloping side and endwalls positioned within said roof and ceiling openings, and spaced fromthe walls thereof, means for connecting the hatch frame to the roof atpoints spaced from the roof to provide a watertight imperforate jointtherebetween, and means for connecting the lower edge of said well tothe roof ceiling.

LOUIS C. WILKOFF.

